History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Italy in the Age of the Renaissance: 1300-1550 (The Short Oxford History of Italy)

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Italy in the Age of the Renaissance: 1300-1550 (The Short Oxford History of Italy)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0198700407

Book Description

Italy in the Age of Renaissance offers a new introduction to the most celebrated period of Italian history in twelve essays by leading and innovative scholars. Recent scholarship has enriched our understanding of Renaissance Italy by adding new themes and perspectives that have challenged the traditional picture of a largely secular and elite world of humanists, merchants, patrons, and princes. These new themes encompass both social and cultural history (the family, women, lay religion, the working classes, marginal social groups) as well as new dimensions of political history that highlight the growth of territorial states, the powers and limits of government, the representation of power in art and architecture, the role of the South, and the dialogue between elite and non-elite classes. This thematically organized volume introduces readers to the fruitful interaction between the more traditional topics in Renaissance studies and the new, broader approach to the period that has developed in the last generation.

The Culture of the High Renaissance: Ancients and Moderns in Sixteenth-Century Rome

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Absolutely superb
Passionate, learned, sexy, urbane and fascinating

The Culture of the High Renaissance: Ancients and Moderns in Sixteenth-Century Rome
Ingrid D. Rowland
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Between 1480 and 1520, a concentration of talented artists, including Melozzo da Forli, Bramante, Pinturrichio, Raphael and Michelangelo, arrived in Rome and produced some of the most enduring works of art ever created. This period, now called the High Renaissance, is generally considered to be one of the high points of Western civilization. How did it come about and what were the forces that converged to galvanize such an explosion of creative activity? In this study, Ingrid Rowland examines the culture, society, and intellectual norms that generated the High Renaissance. Fuelled by a volatile mix of economic development, scholarly longing for the glories of ancient civilization, and religious ferment, the High Renaissance, Rowland posits, was also a period in which artists, patrons, and scholars sought ‘new methods for doing new things’.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely superb.......1999-03-13

It is nearly impossible to overpraise Ingrid Rowland's book. Strikingly original, _The Culture of the High Renaissance_ is a dazzling display of scholarship and one of the finest examples of historical writing in recent memory. There is exceptional erudition here--her work is a feast of information, rare insight, and compelling interpretation--and it is presented by Rowland from beginning to end with enthusiasm and considerable grace. Refreshingly, she always gives the sense of inviting the reader along to share in the discovery of a world she knows so well, and so clearly loves. The writing itself is something extraordinary. Here the fascinating world of sixteenth century Rome is presented with passion, affection, and humor--a more than welcome antidote to the bloodless prose of much current academic writing. This should come as no surprise to readers familiar with Rowland's pieces in _The New York Review of Books_ (her current article, "Titian: The Sacred and Profane" is characteristically dazzling and not to be missed). It is easy to see why Rowland was recently recognized for her outstanding teaching at the University of Chicago. Lucky students...lucky readers. Prof. George Lechner, Italian Renaissance (Honors), University of Hartford

Passionate, learned, sexy, urbane and fascinating.......1999-03-02

From a review by Anthony Grafton in The New York Review of Books, March 4, 1999 (Vol. XLVI, No. 4), pp. 34-38. "Like Burckhardt, Ingrid Rowland sees the Renaissance as the birth of a new culture and society. Like Burckhardt, too, she brings this lost world back to three-dimensional life and vivid color, for, like him, she too is a splendid writer whose words evoke unforgettable images of Renaissance society. Rowland deftly describes the young artists and warriors we know from Benvenuto Cellini's autobiography, every ready to fight or fornicate. . . . More remarkably, Rowland does as much for the city's old scholars." "Though Rowland peoples her story with memorable characters, she also re-creates the institutions in which they had to make their way." "Especially effective-and particularly fascinating-are Rowland's recreations of particular Roman circles and their ways of making scholarship into art." "Rowland's remarkable enterprise in cultural history synthesizes earlier scholarship of many kinds: that of urban historian like David Coffin, Christopher Frömmel, and Charles Burroughs; of intellectual historians like John D'Amico and Charles Stinger; of historians of the classical revival in art and architecture like Otto Kurz, Elisabeth MacDougall, and Phyllis Pray Bober; of passionate delvers into Vatican manuscripts like Vittorio Fanelli and Massimo Miglio. But this book really rests more on primary than on secondary sources. . . . Her view of Roman intellectual life, her sense of personal interactions and intellectual collisions, derive directly form the cornucopia of documents she has discovered, evaluated, and edited." "Painters and writers, life as art, style as mediations, banquet years: Ingrid Rowland, like a contemporary Burckhardt, brings a lost world to life. She has given us a genuinely metropolitan High Renaissance, not only passionate and learned, but also sexy, urbane, and fascinating."

The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (Modern Library)

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Note to the editor
A Classic, "Antiquated" or Not
An Outdated Work
A very important book
worth the effort

The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (Modern Library)
Jacob Burckhardt
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679601694
Release Date: 1995-05-13

Book Description

Published in 1860, Burckhardt’s great work redefined our sense of the European past, wholly reinterpreting what has since been known simply as the Italian Renaissance. With unsurpassed erudition, Burckhardt illuminates a world of artistic and cultural ferment, innovation, and discovery; of revived humanism; of fierce tensions between church and empire; and of the birth of both the modern state and the modern individual. The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy remains the single most important and influential account of this crucial moment in the history of the West.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Download Description

Rich in its detailed account of the arts, fashions, manners, and thought of one of the eras in human history, this brilliant panorama of the Renaissance life is also a thorough examination of the nature of civilization and of our place within it.

Customer Reviews:

Note to the editor.......2007-05-15

This is a reference book for those that need a concise edition on Renaissance. However for the reader less learned, this issue is lacking an editor's information, for example, a brief comment on the author; wich language his work was first published; others english translations after 1878 Middlemore, and so on.

A Classic, "Antiquated" or Not.......2007-03-12

Burckhardt's 'Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy' is fundamental to our understanding of the Renaissance, even though it has long since ceased to be definitive. For Burckhardt (who wrote `Civilization' in the 1850s), the Italian Renaissance represented the punctuated end of the middle ages and the beginning of the modern world. He placed particular emphasis on the idea that for the first time in history, the Renaissance gave us "individuality": the idea that a person could separate themselves from the crowd by their creative genius (in art, politics, science, etc.).

Contemporary scholarship, however, takes a more nuanced approach: while Burckhardt did indeed identify in the Renaissance new cultural, political, and artistic trends, it is now argued that the Renaissance nevertheless retained many aspects of medieval civilization while the Italians, and later other Europeans, revived classical art, architecture, and science and created a new economic and political order.

Two different publishers of this book each offer introductions by two excellent contemporary historians: the Penguin Classics version is introduced by Peter Burke, and the Random House Modern Library version is introduced by Peter Gay. In the Penguin version (reviewed here) Burke (as elsewhere) argues that the Renaissance was not the clean break with the medieval past that Burckhardt suggests, although he readily acknowledges Burckhardt's foundational contribution to early Renaissance scholarship: "Burckhardt's view of the Renaissance may be easy to criticize, but it is also difficult to replace."

And of course, Burckhardt's influence on Friedrich Nietzsche should not be ignored: the concept of the `rise of the individual' (found in Part II of `Civilization': The Development of the Individual) was to have significant impact on Nietzsche's concept of the `Übermench.'

Because for so long Burckhardt's 'Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy' defined what the Renaissance was, one must spend at least a little time with Burckhardt to understand current concepts of the Renaissance in any depth. Burckhardt is effectively now a primary source.

An Outdated Work.......2007-01-12

This is an antiquated work. I have disposed of it. It is not worthy of being on your list. I am a former college history major and this book was a major disappointment.

A very important book.......2006-05-10

I have to disagree with one of the former reviewers who said that this book is "outdated". His attitude is the one most wide-spread today, that is, he is one of those who regard our today's views and perceptions of history as being more consistent and just than those of the 19th century. But such attitude is simpty laughable.Most certainly our views have changed since the 19th century, but have they become "better"? We have discovered many previously unknown facts, but history lies not in the facts, but in our interpretation of them. And it is very useful to understand that alternative approaches exist, and that our "Zeitgeist" is not the ultimate and supreme one.
Read Burckhardt - it'll help to widen your horizons.

worth the effort.......2006-01-11

This is my second attempt at reading this book...I'm finding it much more rewarding now than when I first approached it about ten years ago, although the material is often dense, and the style can be very dry at times. It's best to read a more basic history of Italy before tackling this because Burckhardt presupposes a fair amount of knowledge on the part of the reader.

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Introducing the Renaissance
An introduction to a magnificent time
Renaissance is about Life
Very good and highly readable overview

The Italian Renaissance
J.H. Plumb
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0618127380

Book Description

Spanning an age that witnessed great achievements in the arts and sciences, this definitive overview of the Italian Renaissance will both captivate ordinary readers and challenge specialists. Dr. Plumb's impressive and provocative narrative is accompanied by contributions from leading historians, including Morris Bishop, J. Bronowski, Maria Bellonci, and many more, who have further illuminated the lives of some of the era's most unforgettable personalities, from Petrarch to Pope Pius II, Michelangelo to Isabella d'Este, Machiavelli to Leonardo. A highly readable and engaging volume, THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE is a perfect introduction to the movement that shaped the Western world.

Customer Reviews:

Introducing the Renaissance.......2007-07-14

I wish there were more books like this one. The first half is discussion by J. H. Plumb about many basic aspects of the Italian Renaissance one should know, the second half is a collection of well-written biographical essays about prominent Italian Renaissance figures. The second half was particularly good. I think Kenneth Clark's essay on Michaelangelo and Morris Bishop's on Petrach were the best, but they were all very good. All are well written, unpretentious and intelligent, and all concern interesting people.

The notable figures of Renaissance Italy are really quite different from notable figures of the American Revolution, say. They were much more passionate. The good better, the evil were more evil. Men loved works of art, they didn't just pretend to. I was reading about Benedict Arnold recently, deplorable traitor! but for diabolical rogues, he's nothing beside Cesare Borgia or Sigismondo Malatesta. And who can compare with Federigo da Montefeltro? Or Leonardo da Vinci? They're inspirational. They make you want to live.

Anyway, this is great book. I'm glad I read it.

An introduction to a magnificent time.......2001-11-16

Plumb's book is a very readable introduction to the Renaissance. He begins by explaining how civilization collapsed after the fall of Rome. But the Renaissance grew from the increases in population, trade and the flow of ideas. Italy was a land of cities instead of feudalism, able to make good use of trade to gain great power. The increase of trade brought power to the merchants and guilds instead of the nobility. Trade and power brought money to support an explosion of the arts and finance the flow of ideas, especially from the past.

Plumb describes the histories of some of the cities of Italy. In one chapter he describes the intricate diplomacy of Milan. In other chapters he describes the commerce of Venice and the trade of Florence. We see the brilliance of artists and dissipation of rulers. Plumb describes how the new learning, the new way of seeing the world, spread across Europe.

However, Plumb only wrote half of the book. The second half contains a series of biographies of great artists and rulers of the Renaissance, written by different authors. There are short biographies of artists such as Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci: rulers such as Lorenzo de Medici and Doge Foscari, and authors such as Petrarch and Machiavelli. This book is a tour de force introduction to the magnificent Renaissance.

Renaissance is about Life.......2001-09-04

This book is informative, intelligent, and so well written that it can have a strong appeal to the reader sheerly as literature. It is also a funny book. All the intrigues, treacheries, betrayals, and cruelties perpetrated by the pillars of the Renaissance society (popes, politicians, eminent soldiers) are described so naturally, vividly, and, sometimes, unexpectedly that I could not help but laugh when reading about them.

Plumb knows how to go straight to the point and give the reader his insights clearly and unobtrusively. He does not preach, he simply states and gives facts so wonderfully that I could not help but admire his masterful style of presentation. Here is an example: "In the darkest decades, there was a froce at work--trade--that was inimical to this world of warriors, priests, and peasants. Trade drew Moslem, Jew, and Christian together; trade fattened towns, sometimes bred them." Notice with what facility Plumb has just outlined the importance of trade--it mitigates cultural barriers and draws people together on the basis of mutual business interests. Or, here is an example of how Renaissance confronted dogmatism and obsession with getting at truth by deductive reasoning: "The old dogmatic certainties did not vanish at once, and the habit of trying to nail truth down by argument from fundamental principles was not lightly cast aside. Some of the most original minds, however, particularly Machiavelli and Leonardo da Vinci, sought truth not in argument but in observation." The book is full of such gems.

Renaissance was strange, cruel, and full of life and culture. This book gives us Renaissance in all its splendor fitting to a description of the time of revival and vitality.

Very good and highly readable overview.......2000-10-31

I was surprised how easy it was to read The Italian Renaissance. Some history books are an effort to read, but this one was such a breeze I got myself caught up in it, and finished it in only a day or two. The first half of the book is by Plumb, which goes over the principal cities and themes of the Renaissance. The second half is a mix of biographies of prominent figures of the period by different authors - but there isn't much of a difference between these pieces and Plumb's half in style, both are wonderful to read. This book was so good I've bought a few more in the American Heritage series. If you want a good survey of the Renaissance in Italy, than this is the perfect book for you.

Daily Life - The Italian Renaissance (Daily Life)

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Daily Life - The Italian Renaissance (Daily Life)
Nomi J. Waldman
Manufacturer: KidHaven Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 0737713984

Book Description

During the Italian Renaissance--a period of about 200 years--the arts, scholarship, and wealth flourished in Italy and left behind a treasured legacy. All classes participated to some degree in the changes that this rich period brought about.

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Magnifico!!
The Original Renaissance City

Urbino: The Story of a Renaissance City
June Osborne
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0226637638

Book Description

During the Renaissance, the Italian city of Urbino rivaled Florence and Siena as a center of art, culture, and commerce. Chances are you've never heard of it—but you should have. Raphael was born there. Piero della Francesca painted his famous The Flagellation there. And the city's exquisite Ducal Palace, its twin towers piercing the sky, remains a striking monument to grace and power. Yet despite all its past glory and present charm, Urbino is practically unknown to tourists today.

With Urbino: The Story of a Renaissance City, art historian June Osborne brings to life not only the great city and its art but also its turbulent history and the intrigue surrounding its ruling family. First settled by the ancient Umbrians, Urbino reached its zenith during the fifteenth century under the rule of Duke Federico da Montefeltro and his son Guidobaldo. Federico may have been a usurper and a fierce, opportunistic warlord, but his lust for power was more than matched by his passion for great art. Indeed it was under his direct guidance that the magnificent Ducal Palace was built—its perfectly proportioned courtyard a wonder of early Renaissance architecture.

Today the Ducal Palace hosts the National Gallery of the Marches, one of the most important art galleries in Italy, featuring works by no lesser lights than Raphael, Uccello, Piero della Francesca, and Titian. Exploring such sites as the fourteenth-century Oratorio di San Giovanni Battista and the Gothic Church of San Domenico, Osborne captures not only the startling beauty of Urbino and the Apennine foothills but also the tumultuous legacy of Frederico and his son (and their many wives and courtiers).

With over a hundred lavish color photographs, many by renowned landscape photographer Joe Cornish, Urbino is the best—and the only—guide to this gem of the Italian Marches.

Customer Reviews:

Magnifico!!.......2005-08-30

This is one of those rare and perfect books, where the writing and the images all come together in utter harmony.
Osborne is a master at blending the history of the region with the ambience of the land itself.
A book that will certainly make you add Urbino to your list of must-see places in Italy.

The Original Renaissance City.......2004-11-10

This is a grandly illustrated and beautifully written history of the small Italian city of Urbino, which at one point during the Renaissance rivaled Florence and Roman both economically and culturally. It was the birthplace of Raphael, and the town features many works by that artist as well as by Piero della Francesca and other artistic luminaries. It remains a real jewel of a town. This book is highly recommended to anyone planning to tour the Italian hill towns of Umbria and Tuscany, to follow the Piero della Francesca trail, or enjoy a hiking trip through the Umbrian countryside. It also offers a great armchair journey to anyone interested in Italy.

Art in Renaissance Italy, Second Edition

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Art in Renaissance Italy, Second Edition
A must for any artist!

Art in Renaissance Italy, Second Edition
John T. Paoletti , and Gary M. Radke
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810913909

Book Description

"Impressively erudite...richly illustrated...A sound reference for all readers."--Choice

Spanning more than three centuries, this beautiful and authoritative work brings to life the rich tapestry of Italian Renaissance society and the art works that are its enduring legacy. Fresh and broad in approach, this is the only serious book on the subject to integrate both social and art history for the whole of Italy--not just Florence, Siena, and Rome.

Art lovers and history students alike will welcome this new edition of a highly regarded work previously issued for the academic market. The art is gorgeous and the contextual discussions--of Renaissance artists in their world and of Renaissance art in Western art history--are unmatched.

600 illustrations, 210 in full color, 512 pages, 9 1/2 x 11"

Customer Reviews:

Art in Renaissance Italy, Second Edition.......2006-03-20

I needed this book for my college Ren. Art class and our bookstore wasn't getting it in on time. PLUS they were ONLY selling it for $80.00!! I have always had wonderful results with amazon and trust their speedy delivery.
The books information is extremely indepth with wonderful colored pictures to go along with our professors lectures. I've developed a desire to see Florence and the Or San Michele there. If someone were to ask me about it 2 months ago, i would have asked them to repeat themselves. But indepth on monuments, paintings, cities and regions all over the country and throughout the 12th- 16th centuries.

A must for any artist!.......1999-12-09

This book is far and above what I had expected. Emphasis was placed on being user friendly, which is paramount with such a heavy topic. Side bars on the inner political, religious, and general public life help to clarify what influenced the artist in making choices of subject, style, and composition. I now have a clearer understanding of why I paint how I do, and why we as a culture critique art the way we do.

The Civilization of The Renaissance in Italy: An Essay By Jacob Burckhardt

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The Civilization of The Renaissance in Italy: An Essay By Jacob Burckhardt
Jacob Burckhardt
Manufacturer: Phaidon Press Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HA222M

The Renaissance (The Story of Civilization V)

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The Fifth Volume of The Story of Civilization!
Secular Interpretive View
Good Historian, great history
"A Good Introductory Source to Renaissance Italy"
Good Overview of the Renaissance Period In Western Europe

The Renaissance (The Story of Civilization V)
Will Durant
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0671616005

Customer Reviews:

The Fifth Volume of The Story of Civilization!.......2004-08-30

In this, the fifth volume in the series "The Story of Civilization," Dr. Will & Ariel Durant have compiled a magnificent treatise covering the Italian Renaissance.

At over >720 pages, the reader will discover: The magnificent cities of Renaissance Italy (sovereign Florence, Pisa, Venice, etc.). The Great Artists such as Leonardo, Michelangelo, and more. The Great Medici family. Cesare Boria, the model for Machiavelli's master work "The Prince." Rome, briefly resurgent as the "capital of the world," until sacked by French and German mercenaries. And much, much more including plates and maps.

Although written to stand alone, or in the series, the Durants have created a smooth prose that is easily read and understood by both professional and layperson alike. Well done! The prospective reader would do well to purchase this book. I rate it as five stars as part of the Durants authoritative historical Magnum Opus!

Secular Interpretive View.......2003-11-25

In all of Will Durant's books one easily sees his persective as that of a secularist who does not hesitate to put his own spin on history. His is definitely an interpretation of facts rather than a mere conveying of the information.

Durant's story of the Renaissance starts with Petrarch and Boccaccio. He describes details of the studies, discoveries, travels, and adventures of these inquiring souls. Of Petrarch he writes, that he "took up his residence in Venice in 1361, and lived there for seven years. He brought his library with him..." At a later point he adds about Petrarch, he "took his books with him."

The strength of this book is that it gives the human side of some of the creators of this era whose works have stood the test of time. He helps you to see why they thought what they did and the process used in making their contributions. The downside is the heavy editorializing of the author. There's as much interpretation as there is history.

Good Historian, great history.......2002-12-04

After the long Middle Ages, finally there comes the Renaissance. Like all Durant's other books, this one is very good. Like always, you get everything besides history. This is also a nice treat for the Art student. There too many figures to keep track of though. The reader must read carefully and make many mental notes of names. You get some interesting biographical accounts of all the Renaissance masters. The price of the book is good too. The work provides a good background to the casuses of the Reformation.

"A Good Introductory Source to Renaissance Italy".......2002-09-19

Will Durant's fifth volume--The Renaissance--out of his magisterial work the Story of Civilization, is an excellent introductory source to this age of rebirth from Francesco Petrarca (1304 AD) all the way to the death of Titian (1576). Durant's primary focus is to furnish the reader with all the pertinent aspects of life in Renaissance Italy. He accomplishes this with his customary talent for providing the reader with a lively narrative that brings the characters and the stage of history to life. Durant's critiques of renaissance art and architecture, his overviews of the manners and morals of the time, his summaries and comments upon the principle pieces of humanist literature, philosophy, and poetry, are all carried with remarkable brilliance. This work, in short, is the extended version of Paul Johnson's pocket-sized book, "The Renaissance: A Short History." Both are highly recommended.

Good Overview of the Renaissance Period In Western Europe.......2002-02-22

A previous reviewer accurately described Wil Durant as a "macrohistorian." Durant's technique is to give the reader a breadth of the issues surrounding a period in history. His style is to cover such diverse topics as art, literature, politics, religion, and philosophy. He's adept at evaluating a historical period vis-a-vis each of these disciplines.

Durant has a propensity for reviewing art and architecture ad nauseam, but not to the detriment of covering the other topics. This is forgivable in this context, because the Renaissance period is arguably most noted for its art. I am not an art connoisseur, so I found detailed descriptions of paintings tedious. There are pictures of artwork in the book, but they are of such poor quality that it is difficult to appreciate the quality that Durant assigns to the original works (the photos are poor resolution black and white).

Durant's views on religion are more balanced in this book than previous volumes in this series. "Our Oriental Heritage" was an unabashed attack on religions that espoused monotheism. In my mind, this tendency hurt his credibility as an objective researcher. However, Durant shifts his attention to the practitioners of the faith in "The Renaissance." He appears content to expose the excesses of the religious leaders, focusing on the individuals' failures rather than attacking religious precepts.

This is the fifth book in the series I've read. In each book Durant displays an ability to provide trenchant analyses of events and individuals.

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